


Of Boy Crushes and Brotherly Bonding

by SunshineScorpius



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Gen, Pre-Slash Scorbus, sometimes a boy just needs to talk to his brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:01:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24390994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunshineScorpius/pseuds/SunshineScorpius
Summary: A game of truth and dare reveals Albus has a crush, causing Albus to run from the Burrow and into the treehouse in the garden. He didn’t expect to be bothered by anyone, so it’s an unexpected surprise when James Sirius comes knocking.
Relationships: Albus Severus Potter & James Sirius Potter, Scorpius Malfoy/Albus Severus Potter
Comments: 42
Kudos: 251





	Of Boy Crushes and Brotherly Bonding

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies for any mistakes, my eyes hurt whilst proofing this :') but I feel like maybe it's been too long since I posted some Potter brother feels and I've been in a little slump, but I really like this one and I hope you all do too :)

Albus spent the few days of Christmas break that his family stayed at his Grandparents in the treehouse in the back garden. His Grandfather and Uncle Charlie had made it for him when he was younger, it was a place of solace whenever being around a thousand and one cousins got a little too much. He used to hide away up there and read books, research stars, draw or paint or play Wizards Chess against himself, maybe even dissect a few muggle devices, anything that would distract him from his growing anxiety. Eventually, his mum would come and get him, hugging him tightly and asking if he felt better to come back and if he said no, she would respect that and sit with him, and if he said yes, they would go back inside together, their hands clasped tightly.

This Christmas, though, Albus hid away in the treehouse not because of anxiety (though it still was a contributing factor) but because of embarrassment. Because a game of truth or dare with a few a butterbeers involved never went down well in the Potter-Weasley family and Albus’ red-flushed cheeks always seemed to give him away. So when Dominique asked Albus if he had a crush, he went redder than his fathers tomato patch.

It was the first day of the week that the family spent at their grandparents house. The adults were upstairs drinking a few too many fire whiskeys and unwinding from their intense jobs, whilst the children were down in the basement and catching up, playing silly muggle games until they were forced to bed by their parents. Albus never usually took part in any of the games, preferring to retreat to his treehouse or his grandfather's shed, choosing solitude over social interaction.

This year, however, in the light of the events that took place at the beginning of that school year - his fourth - Albus decided that maybe it was time he started interacting with his large family a little more. It was a little easier to swallow the anxiety when Lily and James were by his side, but their presence never helped when Dominique threw her blonde hair over her shoulder and smiled at Albus like she  _ knew _ the answer before she even asked it and Albus instantly regretted picking ‘truth’.

“Do you have a  _ crush _ on anyone?” she asked, adding a little hum after she spoke followed by a wink.

Albus’ entire face flushed red, his mouth stuttering words he could barely comprehend because his brain instantly went to his best friends enchanting grey eyes and a beautiful smile that could light up the world. He was sucked into a world of Scorpius’ Malfoys laugh and how it could cure the world of horrendous diseases all whilst fighting poverty. He could hear Scorpius telling ridiculous puns that made him laugh, and saw him chewing on his quill when thinking hard in class. He could see him absolutely elated, he could see him anxious, he could see him sad, happy, awestruck, scared, focused, distracted, and loved him in every single version of him in his head.

Maybe he managed to stutter out a ‘no’, or maybe he didn’t actually get any words out at all. Albus truly could not remember. He just remembers flying out of there as quickly as he could, up the stairs, into the living room, through the kitchen, out into the garden and up in the treehouse before he let out a proper breath.

He’d been hiding in there ever since.

As he sat alone in his treehouse, Albus had time to really think about what that reaction meant. He knew he  _ liked _ Scorpius in a way he’d never liked anyone before - he was his best friend, of course he liked him! But things have been different recently.

They weren’t huggers usually, but apparently Scorpius had decided they were now and every time his best friend hugged him, Albus’ heart rate would go into overdrive, a thousand butterflies in his stomach exploding at that brief moment of contact. And when Scorpius would pull away, he would feel lost. One second he was feeling every feeling under the sun, the next he was empty.

He didn’t know he was capable of feeling things like that.

And he certainly never expected it to be  _ Scorpius _ who made him feel things like that.

Overwhelmed with far too much emotion, Albus looked around in the box he kept up here. It was full of muggle things he liked to take apart and put back together, or just random items he’d brought up and forgot to take back. But, there was also a large pile of parchment, ink and a quill that he kept up here. He would often write his letters to Scorpius alone in his treehouse, and that’s what he was going to do this time.

Except this letter would never get sent.

_ Scorpius, _

_ It feels weird writing this even though I know you’re never going to read it. It’s definitely going to be burned to a crisp after this, if I can find that muggle lighter somewhere in my box.  _

_ I have something to tell you. And it may be completely unexpected, or maybe you’ll know. Maybe I’m not that great at hiding my feelings. I know my face has a tendency to go bright red whenever you sit too close or when our hands brush together when you’re sleeping next to me. Maybe the fact that I can’t sleep without you there should have been the first sign, but I brushed it off as nearly losing you. Waking up, you screams still ringing in my ear, and knowing you’re sleeping soundly next to me helps more than you could possibly know. _

_ Right, that thing I need to tell you. _

_ Well… here goes… _

_ I think I might be in love with you. _

There was a soft knocking on the entrance to the treehouse before the hatch was being opened and a mess of auburn hair was emerging through it. 

Albus immediately put his walls up. “How did you get in here?”

James Sirius pulled himself all the way into the treehouse and closed the hatch behind him before looking at Albus. His hair had grown a lot recently. Where it was usually kept neatly styled and out of his face, James looked like he’d fully given up. It now fell carelessly in front of his face, the ends touching his glasses. It looked strangely like Albus’, except with less curls and still less wild despite the clear disregard. Albus wondered why James had let his hair get so messy recently, but he feared he was the blame.

James had been like this since he returned from time and Albus still hasn’t been the best brother. He would prefer to lock himself away in his room and let his nightmares eat him up alone rather than bother his older brother, no matter how many times James told him he wasn’t a bother. 

“Grandpa gave me the password - don’t blame him though, I sort of tricked it out of him-”

“- of course you did,” Albus mumbled, pulling his knees to his chest and hugging himself.

James had the decency to look ashamed by his actions, but he didn’t leave despite Albus’ clear irritation. And in a strange way, Albus didn’t want him to leave. He longed for the relationship that he used to have with James to come back. When they were kids, Albus was like James’ shadow. He looked up to him, did everything with him, and Albus didn’t know when he felt the need to stop - when he felt like James was just becoming annoyed with him, when he felt like a bother.

“You ran out of there pretty quick,” James spoke, crossing his legs. He was sitting quite far from Albus, as though he was scared Albus would bite his head off if he came any closer. Albus relaxed his shoulders, hoping it would show James he was letting his guard down just a little.

“You know I don’t like being the centre of attention like that,” Albus mumbled, hugging himself tighter. As if he didn’t have enough problems piled high on his plate, he didn’t need a crush on his best friend (and all his family finding out all at once) to become the cherry on top.

“Do you maybe want to talk about it?”

“About what?”

“Your crush.”

Albus felt his cheeks flare up and his heart start racing, the very thought of telling James that, not only might he be gay, but also in love with a Malfoy. Scorpius’ last name may not have meant anything to Albus - who saw him, and had always seen him, as just Scorpius - but to the rest of his family (except Lily) Scorpius was always seen as a Malfoy first. And Malfoys were not exactly well-liked in the wizarding world.

Albus remembered back in their first year, Scorpius had come back to the dorm with tears streaming down his cheeks and his eyes red from crying. He collapsed onto Albus’ bed and cried and cried and cried until he could cry no more. When he had finally calmed down enough to talk, he told Albus how some bullies had been calling him names and tripping him over with their wands. Then, with tears in his eyes, he told Albus how he wished he had his mothers name. How he would love to be a Greengrass over a Malfoy, because he didn’t quite feel like a Malfoy.

Albus thought the exact same thing, wishing he was a Weasley, not a Potter.

“It’s not a big deal,” Albus mumbled.

James rolled his eyes, reverting back to the playful chaotic James that Albus knew and loved. “Come on, Al! This is your first crush, as your older brother I am obliged to hear all about it!”

“There’s not really anything to tell!”

“Who are they?” James asked, and Albus wondered if he avoided a gender on purpose because deep down he already knew.

“I really don’t want to talk about this, James.”

James held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay, let’s talk about Scorpius.”

“Scorp- what- Scorpius? But why Scorpius, why not one of your friends?” Albus spoke rapidly, tripping over his own words and cursing himself for not being able to act cool whenever Scorpius’ name popped up.

James raised his eyebrows knowingly, a smirk appearing on his face. “Just wondered how the little dude was, that’s all,” he replied, nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders.

“He’s great,” Albus replied, his voice annoyingly high.

“Coping well, after… you know, everything?”

Albus could only shrug his shoulders, knowing that he was  _ not _ coping well. He’d been owling Albus every night at three in the morning not being able to sleep or waking up from nightmares. Knowing he was so far away and not able to help, Albus felt more and more guilty every day for what he put him through.

“Okay, you don’t want to talk about that either?”

“I’d rather talk about the crush,” Albus mumbled, hoping James wouldn’t hear him. He had no such luck - luck had never really been on his side.

James shuffled closer to Albus, testing the waters now that Albus had relaxed a little in his presence. His eye caught sight of the piece of parchment, but Albus dived for it hoping he never had a chance to read it. Judging by the look on James’ face, however, he got  _ something . _

His mouth was agape, almost in wonder and awe, as he looked at Albus - who was now clutching the letter to his chest and wishing with all his might he’d never written the damn thing. When James finally spoke up, the words that came out was not what Albus was expecting. 

“This is more than just a crush, isn’t it?”

Albus hung his head, but nodded only slightly.

“Love?” James asked, his voice so quiet, almost like he was worried the rest of their cousins were lurking outside the door.

Albus nodded slightly again.

Albus never dared look up, but he felt James come closer. Their knees were now touching and James ran a hand through Albus’ messy curls.

“Albus?” he spoke. Albus never responded. “Albus, please look at me.”

At his request, Albus lifted his head, meeting the warm brown eyes of his older brother. James’ features were soft, looking at Albus like he was the most precious thing in the world. The way he sometimes looked at Lily as well. James smiled and placed his hands on his cheeks.

“Whoever  _ they _ are, I want you to know they are damn lucky to be loved by you.”

It was not the words Albus was expecting to come out of James’ mouth. It was rare, especially around Albus, that James was anything but a joker. Albus was about to ask if he was being serious, but he knew just by the fierce look in his older brothers’ eyes that James meant every single word. And Albus almost -  _ almost _ \- believed him.

Albus let out a big sigh. “It doesn’t matter anyway, they don’t feel the same.”

“How do you know?” James asked, raising his eyebrows and releasing Albus’ cheeks from his hold. Albus shrugged. “Have you asked them?”

“No.”

“Have they told you?”

“No.”

“Then they could easily feel the same way.”

“No, they can’t, Jamie,” Albus said, his anger growing back. Not at James, just at the mere idea that he’d let himself fall in love with his best friend knowing that Scorpius would never - probably  _ could _ never - love him back in the same way.

“Yes, they can,” James said, matching his tone to Albus’.

“No you don’t understand.”

“What’s there to understand?”

“They don’t like me, like  _ that .” _

“You don’t know that, Albus. Anyone could easily love you back just as you love them, I know that because I’m your brother and I know you and-”

“It’s Scorpius!” Albus shouted, regretting the words instantly as James’ features turned into shock. His mouth hung open and there was a long silence. Albus fished around for words, even considered trying to take it back, but he knew there was nothing he could do to change what he’d just said.

Then, completely unexpectedly, James hugged him.

Albus was pulled into his older brothers’ chest, strong arms around him to keep him from pulling away. Though it was strangely comforting knowing James’ immediate reaction wasn’t to walk away from him, or yell at him or something equally as bad. No, James’ first reaction was to hug him, and Albus had never felt more loved.

“It doesn’t change a thing,” James whispered in his ear. “I still love you, I am still your annoying, loving older brother, and if anything, I only admire you even more than I did before. I’m so, so proud of you, Albus.”

Albus pulled out of James’ grip completely stunned, the words barely sinking in. He had no idea James  _ admired _ him. He knew he loved him - he was his brother - but admiration, pride. Albus never expected any of those things.

“Really?” he asked, tears sparkling in his eyes.

James grinned a proud smile and nodded. “And I stand by it: Scorpius is very, very lucky to be loved by you.”

“And you don’t mind? That it’s Scorpius?”

“Of course not! I kind of like him, he’s good for you,” James said, shuffling around and wrapping an arm around Albus’ shoulders. Albus leaned into him, basking in the warmth of his brother and remembering those days in their youth when they would sit and watch movies together. Albus always felt safer and protected from the monsters when James was there.

They lapsed into silence, the quiet speaking for itself. No more words were needed, Albus felt more loved by James in this moment than he had in a long time. He thought, perhaps, he would seek him out more often. Turns out his older brother was pretty great. It made Albus regret all the times he’s pushed him away over the years. He longed for his brother back, but James had never changed,  _ Albus  _ had changed. James had been here all along, just waiting for him. And now that he’s back, James isn’t angry at him, he’s just there. As he has been all along. 

“Are you going to tell him?” James asked, breaking the silence.

“Maybe. Maybe you could help me figure out how,” Albus replied.

James squeezed his shoulder and ruffled his hair. “I’d be honoured to.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't be shy to leave kudos or comments, they truly make my day 10x brighter <3


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